Collaboration between Baystate Health Sciences Library and The Literacy Project in Franklin County (MA) to teach health literacy to adult literacy instructors. These slides are from our first three sessions. We will meet again in January 2015 to assess the program. This project has been funded in part with federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, under contract #HHSN-2762-0110-0010-C.

1. Baystate Health Sciences Library
& The Literacy Project Collaborate
to Teach Health Literacy
October 2014-April 2015
Margot Malachowski, MLS, AHIP
Community Outreach Librarian
Baystate Health

2. This project has been funded in part with
federal funds from the National Library of
Medicine, National Institutes of Health,
under contract #HHSN-2762-0110-0010-C.

3. A little about me…
o Public libraries 1996-2008
o Baystate Health Outreach
o On-site at Chestnut & 3300
o Off-site at a location near you!
o And you?

4. Today’s Agenda
o Background of Our Project
o Goals of Our Project
o Behavior Change Concepts
o Take a little break
o Librarian-recommended
website & app

5. The Health Sciences Library at Baystate
Medical Center is a Resource Library for the
National Network of Libraries of Medicine
(NN/LM). Our mission is to serve the health
information needs of unaffiliated health care
practitioners, librarians, educators and
consumers in Western New England. We
provide free instruction and assistance.

7. Massachusetts Attorney General
Community Benefits Guidelines
Hospitals are encouraged to be innovative in
developing community benefit programs so
as to use institutional strengths and available
resources in the most effective way.
http://www.cbsys.ago.state.ma.us/healthcare/hccbguides.asp

8. IRS Community Benefits
Requirements
Nonprofit hospitals are required to
document how they benefit their
communities in order to retain federal tax
exemptions. Benefits must be aligned with
community health needs, as determined by
assessments performed every three years.
http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Charitable-Organizations/IRS-Nonprofit-Hospital-Project-–-Final-Report

9. This…
o Community Health Education
o Continuing Ed that includes community
o Research on reducing health disparities
o Research to be published

10. Not That…
o Classes run by Marketing
o Continuing Ed restricted to staff
o Study on expansion (market research)
o Study on medical errors, not published

11. Consumer Health Library
o 3300 Main Street satellite
o M-F afternoons, staffed by librarian
o Free pamphlets on general health
o Databases, books, newsletters
o Free printouts on health information
o Phone, email, postal mail services

12. Look up information

13. Teach how to find information

15. Greenfield (pop. 17,511) is the county seat of Franklin
County, and ranks as among the poorest 10% of all towns in
Massachusetts. (U.S. Census 2009)
14.9% families in poverty
8.2% unemployment
8.5% no high school diploma
9% high school drop-out rate
43.8% public school children qualify free/reduced lunch

16. North Quabbin region (pop. 28,000) encompasses nine
towns in Franklin County, with persistent poverty.
(U.S. Census 2009)
14.4% families in poverty
6.4% unemployment
10.7% no high school diploma
11.2% high school drop-out rate
47% public school children qualify free/reduced lunch

17. Goals of Our Project
1. Teach the instructors how to evaluate
a health information website or app
for reliability and usefulness.
2. Demonstrate resources from The
National Library of Medicine and
Baystate Health Sciences Library.
3. Support instructors as they develop
lesson plans and teach their students.

18. October: Training Sessions
1. Intro to Librarian-Recommended
Strategies & Resources (pre-survey)
2. Miracle Cures, False Claims & Scams
3. Review of Teaching Strategies & Tips
for Talking with Health Care Providers
about Health Concerns (post-survey)

19. January: Focus Group
1. How did you incorporate information
into classwork (Nov/Dec/Jan)?
2. Should we use similar survey strategy
with students (pre- and post-survey)?
3. How can I provide additional support?

20. March: Invite students to Focus
Group discussion. With lunch 

21. What do you think?

22. The Diffusion of Innovation behavior change
model is the foundation for our survey and
focus group questions.

23. Diffusion of Innovation
o Become aware of an innovation
o Seek information to form an opinion
o Decide whether or not to try it
o If the experience is positive, begins to use
the innovation
o May decide to modify use
o Seeks reinforcement of decision

24. For example:
o Become aware of MedlinePlus.gov
o Try searching to form an opinion
o Decide whether or not to use it
o Begin to use MedlinePlus as needed
o Modify use by sticking to one resource
o Reinforce use by returning to website
after a few weeks or months

25. Three questions
(with consent)

26. “Research” = asking survey questions and
participating in focus group discussion

27. Take a little break

28. MedlinePlus: Service of the NIH
& National Library of Medicine
o No ads, no gimmicks (WebMD).
o More targeted than “googling”;
keeping the simplicity.
o Safe and reliable source to help
with understanding the situation
and health care options.

30. Narrowing to most relevant

33. More than one source

36. Clarifying: correct info?

38. Quick-and-dirty searching

39. Plain Language principles

40. Mayo: Q’s for your doctor

41. “Find a Doctor” &
Alternative Medicine
websites: next time

42. iTriage: Reviewed by
Harvard Medical School

43. Baystate Health Sciences Library
& The Literacy Project Collaborate
to Teach Health Literacy
October 2014-April 2015
Margot Malachowski, MLS, AHIP
Community Outreach Librarian
Baystate Health
This project has been funded in part with federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health,
under contract #HHSN-2762-0110-0010-C.

44. Today’s Agenda
o False claims & scams
o Advertising messages
o Subscription databases
(alternative medicine)
o Library of Medicine
o Looking up doctors (more on
doctors at our next meeting)

45. Online Health Information

46. Follow the money
advertising
subscription
tax dollars

47. Advertising

48. Advertising

49. Advertising

50. Advertising

51. Advertising

52. Advertising

53. Advertising

54. Advertising

55. What’s the article?
What’s the ad?

56. Subscription

57. Tax Dollars

58. Health Topics : Heart Valve

59. Alternative Medicine

60. Drugs & Supplements

61. Videos: Anatomy, Surgery

62. How does your doctor rate?

63. Looking for a Doctor?
o Baystate Health, Find a Doctor http://baystatehealth.org
o Massachusetts Health Quality Partner http://healthcarecompassma.org/
o Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Find a Physician
http://profiles.ehs.state.ma.us/profiles/Pages/FindAPhysician.aspx
o Medicare’s Physician Compare http://www.medicare.gov/physiciancompare/
o MedlinePlus, Directories of Specialties
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/directories.html
o America’s Top Doctors, Peer Recommended www.castleconnolly.com
o Psychology Today, Find a Therapist http://therapists.psychologytoday.com

64. Baystate Health Sciences Library
& The Literacy Project Collaborate
to Teach Health Literacy
October 2014-April 2015
Margot Malachowski, MLS, AHIP
Community Outreach Librarian
Baystate Health
This project has been funded in part with federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health,
under contract #HHSN-2762-0110-0010-C.

65. Today’s Agenda
o Review Our Project
o Looking Up Doctors
o Talking with Health Care
Providers
o Post-survey

66. Told you little about me…
o Public libraries 1996-2008
o Baystate Health Outreach
o On-site in Springfield
o Off-site at a location near you!

67. And why BH supports my work…
o Being a good neighbor
o Root causes of disease
o MA Attorney General
o IRS & non-profit status

69. What I can offer you…
o Free instruction
o Free research
o Free materials
o Coalition-building

70. Goals of Our Project
1. Teach the instructors how to evaluate
a health information website or app
for reliability and usefulness.

71. Follow the money
advertising
subscription
tax dollars

72. Advertising

73. Advertising

74. What’s the article?
What’s the ad?

75. Subscription

76. Tax Dollars

77. mercola.com

78. Goals of Our Project
1. Teach the instructors how to evaluate
a health information website or app
for reliability and usefulness.
2. Demonstrate resources from The
National Library of Medicine and
Baystate Health Sciences Library.

80. Narrowing to most relevant

81. More than one source

82. Plain Language principles

83. Consumer Health Library
o 3300 Main Street satellite
o M-F afternoons, staffed by librarian
o Free pamphlets on general health
o Databases, books, newsletters
o Free printouts on health information
o Phone, email, postal mail services

84. Goals of Our Project
1. Teach the instructors how to evaluate
a health information website or app
for reliability and usefulness.
2. Demonstrate resources from The
National Library of Medicine and
Baystate Health Sciences Library.
3. Support instructors as they develop
lesson plans and teach their students.

85. January: Focus Group
1. How did you incorporate information
into classwork (Nov/Dec/Jan)?
2. Should we use similar survey strategy
with students (pre- and post-survey)?
3. How can I provide additional support?

86. March: Invite students to Focus
Group discussion. With lunch 

87. How does your doctor rate?

88. What is a PA?

89. MassHealth Info
 www.mass.gov/masshealth
 Take a look at the website
 Breadcrumbs
 Choosing a Dentist

90. Looking for a Doctor?
o Baystate Health, Find a Doctor http://baystatehealth.org
o Massachusetts Health Quality Partner http://healthcarecompassma.org/
o Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Find a Physician
http://profiles.ehs.state.ma.us/profiles/Pages/FindAPhysician.aspx
o Medicare’s Physician Compare http://www.medicare.gov/physiciancompare/
o MedlinePlus, Directories of Specialties
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/directories.html
o America’s Top Doctors, Peer Recommended www.castleconnolly.com
o Psychology Today, Find a Therapist http://therapists.psychologytoday.com